Choosing a transistor

[skimask]

Is 35,000mcd bright? It sounds like quite a high number.

Depends on the viewing angle.
If you've got a 35kmcd LED with a viewing angle of 170 degrees, then, yes, that's a seriously bright LED. If that same 35kmcd LED only has a viewing angle (1/2 theta) of 10 degrees, then it won't be so bright.

Can i just double check that a 4V LED will be fine running on 12V if i use PWM? The average would end up being 3V. Im sure it was someone from here who said that would work but i dont remember who.

LEDs don't run on voltage...get that idea out of your head. Yes, they need voltage...'nuff said.
It's CURRENT that makes an LED work. Yes, you have to have enough voltage to get the current required, which is why you also sometimes need a current limiting resistor. You start pumping 12v thru a single LED (unless it's rated for 12v of course), and you WILL burn it up sooner rather than later. If you've got 12v PWM running at 25% duty cycle, yes, the average would be about 3v-ish, but you're still hitting the LED with 12v. Again, if it's rated for that 12v, then I suppose you'll be fine. Otherwise, look to have a bunch of open LEDs eventually.
Do yourself a favor and get a copy of 'The Art of Electronics' and do a bit of reading. It's my 'bible', great book, will teach you a lot about a lot of stuff.

[The Master]

I had a look for that book. £48.45 on Amazon! It wants to be good for that price. Ill add it to my x-mas list

The LEDs im looking at are 15 degrees i guess that puts them towards the dimmer end.

So, using LEDs on 12V in parallel is definately out of the question. Looks like ill be using a series-parallel type circuit. That way each of the 4 sets of LEDs should only use 200mA of current.

If i only need 200mA now is it still better to use a mosfet instead of an NPN transistor? Yes i can use NPN now with these other LEDs

[The Master]

Luciano, I have seen the max forward voltage. I thought it meant on average.

Im using more LEDs now. Ive re-arranged the circuit a little so that theres hardly even room for the 2 screws and ive got 48 LEDs on it. Its a bit less cramped on the track side because each LED only has 2 legs instead of 6. There are 12 LEDs in each color. The datasheet says 4.2V max for the white ones. If i have groups of them in parrallel (4 LEDs in each group) and connect the groups in series then i should end up with 4V per LED. I think that means they would only use 150mA per color too

[mackrackit]

You might find this useful
http://otherpower.com/otherpower_lighting_leds.html

[Luciano]

Hi,

The power dissipated in a MOSFET is the voltage across it times
the current going through it.

The voltage across the MOSFET when it is on will be the
resistance of the MOSFET, Rds(on) times the current going
thorough it.

A MOSFET IRLR/U2905 has a on-resistance of 0.027Ω.

Power dissipated by the MOSFET case when you have 2 Amps of
current going thorough it will be: (2A = 100 LED's 20mA).

P = 2A^2 * 0.027Ω = 0.108 Watts.

(No problem without heatsink).

Best regards,

Luciano

[The Master]

(No problem without heatsink).

Thats good news then. I dont even have room for TO220 packages. Theres no way i could get a heatsink to fit in there. Im not even using a heatsink for my voltage regulator since it never gets remotely warm with just a PIC chip and a MAX485 connected.

One thing i dont understand is how you know that 0.108W means you dont need a heatsink

[Luciano]

One thing i dont understand is how you know that 0.108W means you dont need a heatsink

Hi,

From the datasheet. The thermal resistance junction-to-ambient is for when
there is no heatsink.

IRLR/U2905 datasheet:
http://www.irf.com/product-info/data...a/irlr2905.pdf

The thermal resistance Junction-to-Ambient of an IRLR2905 is 110 °C/W.
Its operating junction temperature range is -55 to + 175 °C.

Example ambient air temperature = 45°C: 

175°C − 45°C
__________    =  1.18 Watts 
   110°C/W

With an ambient air temperature of 45°C, without 
heatsink an IRLR2905 can dissipate 1.18 Watts. (Absolute Maximum).

Best regards,

Luciano

[skimask]

The voltage across the MOSFET when it is on will be the
resistance of the MOSFET, Rds(on) times the current going
thorough it.
A MOSFET IRLR/U2905 has a on-resistance of 0.027Ω.

Of course that also assumes you are driving the MOSFET 'hard enough' (i.e. large enough Vgs vs. Vds) to get that low Rds(on).
If you come up a bit short on the Vgs, the Rds(on) could be much higher.

It's always something, ain't it?

[Luciano]

Of course that also assumes you are driving the MOSFET 'hard enough' (i.e. large enough Vgs vs. Vds) to get that low Rds(on).
If you come up a bit short on the Vgs, the Rds(on) could be much higher.

It's always something, ain't it?

The power MOSFET IRLR/U2905 has logic-level gate drive and
therefore you don’t have to worry about that. Just try and
measure the voltage drop.

[The Master]

Yes that is usefull. I think im using the type of regulators they mentioned (the bad ones). The plan was to use a 12V one for the LEDs and a 5V one for the rest of the circuit. It will help picking the correct resistors for the different colors too (each color uses different amounts of amps and volts)

The lights im making are actually like spotlights so i would have thought a 15 degree angle should be fine. There is a directivity diagram in the datasheet Im not sure if thats what you mean. I can try and compare it with some other LEDs i already have but the best thing is probably to buy a few and turn them on

I do have a multimeter and now a PC oscilloscope. I had to use them a lot while getting a test circuit working with the origional multicolor LEDs

I see what your saying about the transistors. I did have some running with the old LEDs though and they seemed to be fine. They did start getting a little hot so i turned my PSU down a little. They cooled back down and continued to run for about 2 hours with no noticable temperature increase. I will order some mosfets instead though just to be on the safe side.

I think what im going to do is try to figure out exactly what mosfets and resistors i need etc for those LEDs then buy a few and see how they work

[skimask]

I had a look for that book. £48.45 on Amazon! It wants to be good for that price. Ill add it to my x-mas list

Obviously, not everything in that book applies, but the first bunch of chapters (i.e. 1/3 of the book) breaks down the basics of transistors/mosfets, and the bulk of the discrete components needed to put together a complete circuit. And it really helps to have a few examples of each laying around, along with some spare parts and a meter (and/or 'scope) to play with pieces/parts and see what actually happens in practice vs. just reading all about it.

The LEDs im looking at are 15 degrees i guess that puts them towards the dimmer end.

Not necessarily. Look at the datasheets for those LEDs, look at the distribution, then compare that LED with the cheaper and more expensive types.

If i only need 200mA now is it still better to use a mosfet instead of an NPN transistor? Yes i can use NPN now with these other LEDs

I think you're better off using a MOSFET over a BJT anyday. The 'bible' mentioned above shows why and I don't remember exactly why. But it's got something to do with the forward bias voltage. A BJT gets hot, forward bias voltage drops a smidge, current flow rises, BJT gets hotter, forward bias voltage drops a smidge, current flow rises, it's a nasty circle of death for the BJT. With a MOSFET, it effectively chokes itself when it gets hot. I don't remember the exact mechanism by which this happens, but it supposedly can 'save itself' in certain situation whereas a BJT would go up in smoke.